Method of packaging frozen confections



June 1943- L. D. OVERLAND 2,320,985

' METHOD OF PACKAGING FROZEN CQNFECTIONS ori inal Filed Nbv. 20, 1940 4Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT OR. .Leo D. Overhnd June 1, 1943. L. D. OVERLANDMETHOD OF PACKAGING FROZEN CONFECTIONS Original Filed Nov. 20, 1940 4Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Leo Z7. Ouefii'arza 1 7' TOR/V \NNI.

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1.. D. OVERLAND METHOD OF PACKAGING FROZEN CONFECTIONS Original FiledNov. 20, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Leo D. Over-land v '9 nrronwrJune 1, 1943. L. D. OVERLAND 2,320,985 I METHOD OF PACKAGING FROZENCONFECTIONS Original Filed Nov. 20, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4f 'lNVENTOR Leofl. Overland ATTO NEY Patented June 1, 1943 UNfl-TED STATES rarestorrics METHOD OF PACKAGING FROZEN CONFECTIONS Leo D. Overland, Brooklyn,N. Y., assignor to Joe Lowe Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corpora tionof Delaware (Cl. HST-+54) 1 Claim.

The present invention is a division of my copending. application SerialNo. 386,410, filed November 20, 1940, relating generally to a method ofmaking a plurality of frozen confectionery products simultaneously, andit relates specifically to improvements in the manufacture of largequantities of very small frozen confectionery units of the typesimulating what is generally known in the candy trade as bon-bons.

Since the sale of such products require a plurality of the frozenconfectionery units to be re tailed in individual boxes at a very lowprice, it follows that the manufacture and packaging of the individualunits into individual boxes, and the assembly of such boxes in shippingcartons, must be accomplished within a very narrow range of operatingcosts, involving problems which are difficult of solution. With thepresent invention, however, these difficulties. have been overcomesuccessfully by the use of simple and inexpensive apparatus employing aminimum number of manufacturing operations from the freezing to thepackaging of the individual confectionery units.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method ofmanufacturing a plurality of very small frozen confectionery units ofthe class described in a most efficient and sanitary manner, whicheliminates any direct handling of any of the individual units from thetime they are formed by refrigeration until the time they are boxed inretail boxes and packaged for distribution to the consumer.

Another object of the invention is the provisions of simple, inexpensiveand economical apparatus y a preferred form of embodiment of theinvention is shown, reference being had for illustrative purposes to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of the apparatus constructed inaccordance with the invention,

of mold cavities [3.

showing, with parts broken away for the sake of clearness, amulti-cavity mold and a combination spur plate and stripping device andillustrating their respective positions during the freezing operation;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, with parts broken away for the sake of clearness,showing the structures of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation, with some parts in section, showing thespur plate and its stripping device in its position at the time ofrelease of the confectionery units into a plurality of individual boxes,the latter being shown in transverse section;

Fig. 4' is: a sectional plan View of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3, thesame being taken along the line 4-4 thereof;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the position of one of the boxesready to receive its charge of confectionery units;

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevational view of the apparatus shown in Fig. l,the same being taken along the line 5-6 thereof;

Fig. '7 is a sectional elevational View of the apparatus shown in Fig.3, the sam being taken along the line l'l thereof;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view, with parts broken away, showing a boxfilled with a plurality of confectionery units;

Fig. 9' is. an enlarged detailed view, showing an end section of the boxholder and its withdrawal tray, with a plurality of boxes beingillustrated in transverse section; and

Fig. 10 is a' perspective vi w of the combination spur plate andstripping device shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals indicate likeparts, there is shown in Fig. 1, a multi-cavity mold structure U, havingcarrying handles [2' and being provided with rows Adjacent each end ofthe mold structure if is mounted a vertical arm l4,

having a recess l5 on the top end thereof for receiving and guiding asuspending member of a combination spur plate and stripping device 20.The lower ends of the arms l4 project below the mold structure H and areturned inwardly to provide feet I? for the same, as best shown in Fig.6. The number of mold cavities 43 to each transverse row correspond tothe number of frozen confectionery units desired for an individualretail box. In the illustrations in the drawings, there are eighteentransverse rows of mold cavities, each row consisting of five cavitieseach. It is apparent, therefore, that each mold structure H is capableof producing sulficient confectionery units with each operation to filleighteen retail boxes with five units each.

The cavities l3 of th multi-cavity mold structure ll may be filled inany desired manner with a suitable mixture to b frozen, such as icecream, ice milk, sherbet, water-ice, etc. If desired, each box may bfilled with confectionery units of different flavors, and this may bereadily provided with uniformity as to all boxes of a group by fillingeach longitudinal row of cavities i3 with a flavored material which isdifferent from every other longitudinal row.

When the mold cavities l3 are filled with the desired confectionmaterial is to be frozen, the mold structure I i may be placed in abrine tank or other refrigerating means, and at such time or priorthereto, the combination spur plate and stripping device 29 hereinafterto be described in detail, is placed over the open-top of the moldstructure H as best shown in Fig. 1. position it will be noted that aprojecting spur 22 is positioned centrally of each mold cavity l3.

Referring now to Fig. 10, wherein the combination spur plate andstripping device 29 is best shown, it will be apparent that the same isapparatus of a portabl character comprising a pair of superimposedmarginal plates 24 and 26, the lower plate 24 having a plurality ofspaced openings or apertures 28 therein, which are arranged in rowslongitudinally and transversely.

The underside of the plate 24 adjacent each opening 28 is concavedupwardly, as indicated at 3|, to permit withdrawal of the spurs 22beyond the contacting surfaces of the plate during the strippingoperation. This permits the plate 24 to contact the frozen confectioneryunits at a point spaced from the spur 22, and permits effectivestripping without having a tendency to crack the coating materialthereof, which results when the stripping pressure is immediatelyadjacent the spur 22 as it is being withdrawn. The upper plat 26 isprovided with a plurality of similarly spaced depending spurs 22 whichare adapted to extend through said openings 28. The spurs may be formedof short pieces of wire, the upper ends of which are bent over andsoldered or otherwise secured to the plate 26, as indicated A pair ofoppositely spaced guide members 30 are mounted adjacent each end of thelower plate 24, and fixedly secured to the marginal side flanges 25thereof, as indicated at 21, in any suitare moved relative to oneanother by engaging the marginal end flanges of the upper plate 26.

The upper plate 26 of the combination spur plate and stripping device 20has upturned marginal side flanges 4|, and is provided with spaced slots42 arranged in pairs adjacent each end for receiving slidably the guidemembers 36 of the lower plate 24.

A pair of oppositely spaced plural-armed or I bell-cranked levers 44 arepivotally mounted on the marginal side flanges 4| adjacent each end ofthe plate 26 by means of a stud shaft or bolt 46. Each of the levers 44is provided with a relatively short arm 48 and a relatively long arm 50.

In this H Each short arm 48 is provided with a pair of spaced cammembers or projecting studs 52 and 54, which are adapted to engage camconformations 32 and 34, respectively. Laterally projecting arms 56,forming suspension means, may be mounted on the shaft 46, or otherwisefixedly se cured to the marginal sid flanges 4| of the plate 26, forreasons hereinafter to be described. The long arms 59 of each oppositelydisposed pair of levers 44are transversely connected in any suitablemanner by a rod 58, which provides a handle for manipulating andoperating the apparatus.

In operation of the combination spur plate and stripping device 26, theplates 24 and 26 are assumed to be together, as shown in Fig. 10, withthe handles 58 extending outwardly of the apparatus. In this positionthe spurs 22 are projected their full distance through the plate 24 soas to be in a position to extend therebelow into each of the cavities l5of the mold structure i2. The handles 58 may be used to manipulate theapparatus, as for example, carrying it from operation to operation in aplant, or may be used for also operating the apparatus to effectstripping or removal of the confectionery units frozen to the lower endsof the spurs 22 thereof. To effect stripping, the plate 24 mustobviously be moved downwardly towards the extreme ends of the spurs 22.The apparatus may be constructed so as to withdraw the spur 22 throughthe openings 28 of the lower plate, and thus accomplish the same result.In the modification shown, the stripping is effected by moving thehandles 55 inwardly of the apparatus toward each other, as shown in Fig.3. When each of the handles 58 is moved inwardly, the cam member 54immediately engages the external cam conformation 34, moving the lowerplate downwardly over the spurs 22 and the cam member 52 downwardly ofthe vertical portion of the internal cam conformation 32. When the cammember 52 approaches the apex of the internal cam conformation 32 andpasses its dead center position, the cam member 54 has moved across itscam conformation 34 and out of en agement therewith. Further inwardmovement of the handles 58 causes the lever 59 to movethe lever 48downwardly, forcing the cam member 52 to move along the horizontalportion of its internal cam conformation 32 and push the lower plate 24downwardly until it reaches the ends of the spurs 22. The stop limitingflanges 31 of the end plates 36 prevent the lower plate from beingpushed off the ends of the spurs 22. Thus, it will be apparent that theconfectionery units frozen to the lower ends of the spurs 22 are forcedtherefrom by the pressure exerted by the underside of the plate 24against the tops thereof. Obviously, reversing the movement of thehandles 58 causes a reverse of the operating function above described,bringing the two plates 24 and 26 together again.

When refrigeration has been completed and the congealed confectioneryunits 66 are formed and bonded to the lower ends of the spurs 22, themold structure H is removed from the brine tank (not shown) with thecombination spur plate and stripping device 26 still in position. Themold cavities [3 are defrosted by momentarily dipping the mold structureH in warm water. The combination spur plate and stripping device 20 maythen be lifted from the mold structure ll, carrying the formedconfectionery units 66 on the lower ends of the spurs 22. The

frozen confectionery units may then be dipped in chocolate or othersuitable conventional coating material preparatory to boxing, or theymay be boxed without coating, if desired.

The method of the invention includes the steps of assembling side byside a plurality of boxes equivalent to the number of transverse rows ofmold cavities 13 of the mold structure H. According to the embodimentillustrated in the drawings, there are eighteen transverse rows of moldcavities offive cavities each to a row. Therefore, eighteen boxes mustbe assembled side by side, and will receive five confectionery unitseach when they are released from their respective spurs.

The confectionery units 60 in the present instance are shaped likechocolate creams, and hence are substantially of a thimble formation,each having a flat base. The packing boxes 62 are preferably of thegeneral type illustrated in Figs. 5 and 8. These boxes 62 are adapted tobe filled from the bottom, and have a bottom closure flap 64 formed withan extending flange or lip 66. The boxes are placed side by side in atray 68, having arms 10, with the top of each box being closed and thebottom of each box uppermost, the closure flap 64 and lip 66 beingpositioned preferably in the manner illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5.Before the tray 68 is loaded with the boxes 62, a removable board 12,having handles 14 at opposite ends, is positioned therein forfacilitating removal of the filled boxes 62 from the tray 68 whendesired. The arms 70 of the box loading tray 68 are recessed at the top,as indicated at 16, to receive the arms 56 of the combination spur plateand stripping device 26 for suspending and guiding the same over theboxes 62 therein. The lower ends of the arms 16 project below the tray62 and are turned inwardly, like the arms 14 of the mold, to providesupporting feet 18.

To deposit the individual confectionery units 50 into their respectiveboxes 62, the combination spur plate and stripping device 20, having thefrozen confectionery units 60 still bonded to the lower ends of thespurs 22, is suspended over the loading tray 68, with the suspendingarms 56 positioned in the recesses 16 of the arms 10 of the tray 68.This guiding and suspending means assures registration of eachtransverse row of confectionery units 60 with the particular box inwhich the confectionery units are to be packed. Thereupon, the handles58 of the apparatus 20 are moved inwardly to the position shown in Fig.3, which causes the underside of the stripper plate 24 to descend,forcing the confectionery units from the spurs 22 into the boxes 62.

After the operation last described is completed, the spur plate andstripping device 20 i removed. The removal board 12 is lifted out of thetray 68 by means of the handles M, the bottom closure flaps 64 aremanually moved to closed position, and the boxes 62 are inverted in theposition shown in Fig. 8.

By means of the present invention all of the very large number ofindividual confectionery units 60 may be moved and released by thecombination spur plate and stripping device 29 in a few seconds time andsimultaneously deposited in a plurality of retail boxes, without anyintermediate and unsanitary handling whatsoever, thereby lowering thecost of production by reducing the various manufacturing steps to aminimum, enabling the manufacturer to give the public greater value fora lower retail price than with other known methods now in use.

Although I have only described in detail one form which the inventionmay assume, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that theinvention is not so limited, but that various modifications may be madetherein without departing from the spirit thereof or from the scope ofthe appended claim.

What I claim is:

The method of harvesting and packaging a plurality of frozenconfectionery units simultaneously into a plurality of open boxes eachhaving a closure flap provided with an integral extending flange whichcomprises the steps of arranging a plurality of the boxes in a holdingtray in a side by side position with their respective closure flaps withthe exception of one of the end boxes being folded backwardly along theadjacent side of the box with its extending flange being folded normallyoutwardly under the next adjacent box, positioning a portable carrierhaving a plurality of spaced rows of spaced confectionery unitsdepending therefrom over said opened boxes in such a manner that eachtransverse row of confectionery units is aligned with one of said boxes,releasing all of the confectionery units simultaneously from saidcarrier whereby each row is deposited in its aligned box, removing thefilled boxes from the holding tray, and then closing said boxes bypositioning said closure flaps and extending flanges in their respectiveclosed positions.

LEO D. OVERLAND.

